Gbevlo Is Acting With Impunity…UG Should Sue Gov’t

Charles Owusu, a staunch member of the People’s Progressive Party, has called on the authorities of the University of Ghana to file a law suit against government over the demolition of a toll booth the school constructed recently.

The University authorities had the shock of their lives when the toll booth erected to recoup their monies after securing a loan to construct better roads for the students of the institution, was demolished in the early hours of Tuesday, February 18.

The authorities were reported to have instituted a toll charging system, in which students and vehicle drivers were supposed to pay some amount of money whenever they ply the roads.

But a section of the government officials together with the students stridently opposed the idea.

With the Ministry of Education expressing disappointment in the University for undertaking the project without consulting the Ministry, the road toll system was indeed bound to face some public repression.

“We have been concerned honestly that the University of Ghana will embark on such a major decision without recourse to the Ministry, considering it’s a public University. It continues to subsist on the Government of Ghana. It’s one of the subvented institutions under the Ministry of Education. We have thought that they would have involved us in the decision-making process…

“Ministry of Education knew nothing about it…The University of Ghana is not even ready. The toll booths are not ready. And they have toll collectors who are walking around and meeting you in your car and giving out tickets. I thought that the University of Ghana could have done better. I thought the University of Ghana could have done better,” Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa recently told the media.

The National Security, under the auspices of its Coordinator Gbevlo Lartey, is said to have brought the toll booth down over concerns that it was obstructing the smooth movement of passengers and vehicles who used the road.

Speaking to Peacefmonline.com, Charles Owusu bemoaned the action and stressed that “if Mahama was a serious person as President, he would have sacked the so-called National Security Coordinator. The man is working with impunity…Gbevlo Lartey should be sacked.”

In his view, the University can sue the State and claim judgement debt for its losses.

“I believe that if the University authorities want to go to court, definitely they will win the case against government and there will be a judgement debt…We’re lucky the University is for the State, other than that if it were to be a private University, by now, there would be more trouble.”